by Linda | May 12, 2010 | DIY printables
This week has been full of computer-time and digital work for me, so when I needed to make a birthday card for a friend I naturally started with a digital design. With birds on the brain from my daily bird exercise, the phrase “bird-day” instead of “birthday” popped in my head.
I decided to go with it and designed some pieces to print out, then put it all together for more tactile feel. I will be creating a nest for the birdie with strips of kraft paper on the front of the card. Who doesn’t love hybrid handmade, goodness, right?
I thought I would share the graphics with all of you, in case you want to make a quicky bird-day card for someone!
Download Happy Bird-Day Designs PDF
Feel free to use it in your personal projects. The printable has the first page for the front of the card and a second page for the inside panels, if you want to include them. Happy hump day to all and until tomorrow…ciao ciao!
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by Linda | May 11, 2010 | my creative journal
Sometimes when you are feeling down, a bit anxious or just uninspired one way or another – it helps to just sit down and doodle away. Use a black pen on white paper and just go at it. Dot, line, curve…fill it in until you run out of ink! Somehow, the process of doodling really helps to alleviate stress and I’m sure you’ll feel better before running out of ink! It works for me anyway. The repetition and the movement of my hand gliding across the page, just going with whatever comes out of my mind naturally…it’s freeing and relaxing.
Here’s the art journal page I started today. I think I might really run out of black ink…but I felt like coloring in parts and creating that stark contrast of black and white. Even though I’m feeling a bit down, doodling really helps me express it and muddle around as needed. Try it sometimes…and check out this cool video from Mother Henna on how she doodles in a henna design style. Until tomorrow my lovelies…
by Linda | May 7, 2010 | my creative journal
Happy Friday my lovely readers! TGIF for sure. I’ve been really busy with work…and as I typed that, I realize that it’s probably redundant to say “I’ve been busy.” Aren’t we always busy? Aren’t we always occupied doing something or another? As I pondered the issue of never having enough time and being busy, I was reminded of Parkinson’s Law from my project management days. It says that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion and it’s so darn true!
If you give someone a deadline, they hopefully will make it by the deadline, but it’s not often they complete it early. Given the guideline, we somehow spend all the time we’ve been given, if not more! I certainly know from personal experience that it’s much easier to go over than under in work hours. The point is that if we don’t give ourselves the limits on time and set those goals, it’s just not going to happen in the end. We all need some kind of time management…otherwise time just flutters on by…
I know there are people who can’t stand schedules or routines. They live off the excitement of diving deep into projects when needed and then going through a period of rest to revive themselves afterwards. I venture to say that they are the exceptions. I’ve done it before and lived that lifestyle…it’s sucks! At least, I don’t enjoy it and can live without the “adrenaline.” I would rather not put myself or my family through that kind of lifestyle. I realized that we seem to be better creatures with routines. Perhaps we were made to be that way…if we want our bodies to keep going, longer and better?
When we start a routine, we seem not to notice that time has passed, but the work gets done in the end. I did a little experiment a while back deciding to draw a bird a day. Little sketches, nothing major and definitely really ugly certain days. I started on March 9 and suddenly it’s already May and I’ve got a whole bunch of birdies under my belt. It’s been a really great exercise and I am so glad to have started and accomplished so much. Others might have done daily paintings, 365 photos, morning pages, etc – it’s all about routine and giving yourself that bit of structure. From all the various methods I’ve tried to impose on myself while working at home, this little morning routine has proven to be the easiest, most effortless and most consistent and fruitful looking back. Interesting indeed. Maybe we just have to break up all our tasks into daily routines, a bit at a time and it’ll all work out in the end? Will I be more efficient in the end?
Hmm…something to think about this weekend. In other news, I’ve started to digitize some drawings into digital stamps. It’s fun and oddly relaxing at the same time. I wonder how long I can keep this up and if I should switch to something non-birdie eventually? Well, hope you have a great weekend and to all mommies out there – and early Happy Mother’s Day! You are fabulous, we appreciate you and we all love you. Thank you. 🙂
by Linda | May 5, 2010 | DIY printables
Looking for printable telegram papers for your next papercrafting project? Here are some free downloads I have created…
Another hump day and my list of to do’s is definitely piling up. Even with some pressing items, I just couldn’t help myself and started working on a scrapbooking mini album. Sometimes you just have to take a break, right? I recently discovered tissue paper roll minibooks and posted the beginnings of my obsession. A 3-inch by 4-inch book seems pretty small and easy to complete, but it actually takes quite a few steps from preparing the photo layout to embellishing.
At one point I had to get on the computer and create a journaling design. I need lines to journal on because I can’t handwrite straight and the easiest thing is to design and print journaling tags at home! My design will go on the back of photo tags that slide into the flattened tissue paper rolls.
My design idea is a vintage telegram look, but I can’t decide if I will print it with the old paper background or print on white paper and distress myself. Either way I thought it would be nice to share the design with all of you. Perhaps you will find a good use for them – collaging, art journaling or maybe a few tags like me.
Click on the images to download the hi-res JPGs (For some reason some people don’t see the images, so you can download the ZIP file here.) I would love to see what you create with them as well, feel free to post a comment. Here’s a peek of the my minibook in progress…wish me luck on getting it done, so perhaps I can finally get back to work!
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by Linda | May 4, 2010 | DIY printables
Hello everyone! So things have been quiet on the digital stamp front even though I’m working on the computer every day. I decided to release a free digital stamp for all you blog followers…just because…it’s been so long since a freebie! Here’s a cute birdie digital stamp…freckled cute, right?
Free free to click and download the full-sized PNG. Use in your lovely Springtime crafts and have fun! Let me know if you post your projects, I would really love to see if these freebie postings are of use to anyone as well 🙂 BTW if you like these little birdies…there will be more coming! I’m also working on a collaboration using a few of them, so stay tuned for more!
